The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-07-09
Animals Which Love Music.

Oh JOAu ia" III Aii''cis "
Music" quotes an author who speaks OF
lion he had seen in London, who would
forsake his food to listen to tune. Bears,
too, have from the earliest times been
taught to dance to the sound of music.
Monkeys have keen ear for rhythm,
and have been taught to dance to music
on the tight-rope. Bourdelot speaks of
"A monkey, whom all Paris at one time
went to see, who, dressed as woman,
danced a minuet in cadence with his
master.
The educated horse of the circus owes
great deal to the influence of music; he
marches, trots, gallopS, advances, rctires,
and even dances to the live strains of the
orchestra. He can also be taught to per-
form music on his own account, and to
beat kettledrum with his fore feet.
When cows are sulky milkmaids in the
highlands of Scotland often sing 10 them
to restore them to good humor. In France
the oxen that work in the fields are reg
ularly sung to as an encouragement to
cXertion, and no peasant has the slightest
doubt that the animals listen to him with
pleasure.
The cheering influence of music is seen
in the case Of camcls. During the long
and painful marches the conductors OF u
caravan often comfort their camels by
PLAYING on instruments. The music has
such an effect that, however fatigued they
may be by their heavy loads, the animals
step out with renewed vigor.
Elephants have good ears, and may be
trained as musical performers. Quite re-
Gently small elephant, with surprising
amount of cultivated intelligence, was ex-
hib;ted in London. Among many feats
it PLAYED whole band of music at once
there were bells on its head, and it used
its trunk and forefeet to play other in
struments.
Recognizing the love of horses fol
music, a wealthy enthusiast in the latter
part of the seventeenth century had reg
ular concerts provided for the benefit OF
his stud. Jacques Bonnet when IN Hol-
land in 1858 visited the stable and saw
there the raised orchestra from which
once week selection of favorite airs
was played to cheer up the spirits of the
listening animals.
Decrs are delighted with the sound Of
music. Playford, in his introduction
to Music" says: Myself, as Travelled
some years since, near Royston, met 8
herd of stays, about twenty, upon the
road, following bagpipe and violin
When the music played they went for
ward; when it ceased they stood still, and
in this manner were brought up out o.
Yorkshire to Hampton Court"
On sheep and cattle, music, both voca
and instrumental, has a highly beneficial
effect. There is poetic saying among
the Arabs that the song of the shepherd
fattens the sheep more than the riches
pasture of the plains, and the saying rests
no doubt, on a foundation of fact. East
ern shepherds are in the habit of singing
and piping to quicken the action of TIT
I fiocks under their charge.
A lamb which had discriminating ca
is mentioned by Mr. J. G. Wood. 1t de
Lighted in brisk and lively tunes, such a
are set to polkas and quadrilles, but ab
horred all slow and solemn composition
This frivolous lamb chad the deepest de
testation of the national anthem, ant
would set up such continuous baa-ba
as soon as its ears were struck with tn
unwelcome sounds that the musician wa
fain to close the performance, being G
fenced by mirth if not by pity"